Pattern, awareness and perceptions of health hazards associated with self medication among adult residents of kano metropolis, northwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Background:Kano State is the most populous state, and one of those states pronounced with the highest prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria. However, there is lack of documented data to back the assertion.Objective:We determined the pattern, awareness and perceptions of the adult residents of Kano metropolis about self medication.Materials and Methods:We used a descriptive cross-sectional design to study a random sample of 380 adult in Kano metropolis. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires that were pretested outside the study area. Data analysis was with Epi Info® 3.5.1.Results:The mean age of the subjects was 35.43 ± 15.10 years, majority were males (66.32%), singles (47.11%) and had at least secondary education (67.63%). About three-quarter (78.95%) admitted using drug (s) in the past without prescription. Drugs commonly consumed were antimalarials (42.10%), analgesics (40.56%), antibiotics (29.41%), and cough mixtures (13.31%). Common sources of drugs were patent medicine stores (62.54%) and the market (19.81%). Common reasons for self medication were long queues in the hospitals (38.39%), and in-accessibility to doctors (25.08%). About two-thirds (65.00%) correctly perceived that self medication could be hazardous; and half (51.58%) were aware of at least one hazard of self medication.Conclusion/Recommendations:Irrational drug use is a growing challenge to public health in Kano, Nigeria. Thus, drug regulatory agencies in Nigeria should work together to ensure that all drug retail outlets and drug sellers are registered, controlled drugs are dispensed only on prescription of the physicians; and the laws safeguarding drug use are duly enforced. Health authorities should also strengthen efforts towards health educating the public.

Level and Correlates of Self-medication among Adults in a Rural Setting of Mainland Tanzania

“…An association of SM with occupation has been reported in a Kano (Nigeria) study [33] . The phenomenon of increased odds of SM among respondents with formal employment may be explained by their stable income.…”

Self medication: Rising trends

“…Inappropriate self medication could lead into Poisoning, allergy, habituation, addiction, dependence, wastage of resources and increased resistance of pathogen [3,13]. The attitudes of some health professionals towards polypharmacy, contributed immensely in term of exposing the general public to a number of drugs and most importantly justifying their subsequent actions of abusing such drugs [13]. Health education is a important tool for this problem.…”

Automedicação em comunidades ribeirinhas na região do Médio Solimões Amazonas

“…O consumo de antimicrobianos pela automedicação foi apontado nos estudos (15,19,22,32,37) , embora sua comercialização seja proibida sem a prescrição de profissional habilitado (48) . Altas prevalências da automedicação com antibióticos podem ocorrer devido à crença de que os mesmos poderiam tratar a maioria das infecções (49) , acentuadas por práticas de armazenamento de restos destes insumos nas residências, constituindo uma potencial fonte alternativa de automedicação (50) , aumentando o risco com o uso inadequado e a seleção de bactérias resistentes (51) .…”

“…No Paquistão, investigações realizadas na população rural (40) e urbana (8) detectaram prevalências de 85,0% e 84,8% respectivamente. Em Uganda a prevalência foi de 76,0% e de 78,9% entre os nigerianos (16,19) .…”

“…O consumo elevado de antimicrobianos foi verificado em pesquisas realizadas na Ásia (17,40) e África (19) . A similaridade dos achados do presente estudo é que a automedicação com antimicrobianos muitas vezes é praticada por representar uma alternativa de tratamento de baixo custo, pois nos países menos abastados em que os indivíduos não podem pagar ou não têm acesso aos serviços de saúde, essa estratégia é utilizada (14) .…”